Toshiba classifies the TDP-T95U projector ($1,299 direct) as a conference-room projector largely because of its rated brightness of 2,200 lumens. But as it weighs just 6.4 pounds, it's more like a slightly larger-than-average portable projectorwhich gives you the best of both worlds. Even Toshiba concedes the TDP-T95's portability by including a soft carrying case with plenty of room for cables and other extras. The projector's balance of brightness, features, and portability make it well worthy of our Editors' Choice.

Of course, at 3.9 by 11.8 by 8.6 inches (HWD), the DLP-based T95U isn't tiny. Still, it boasts bright image quality, a high contrast ratio, and a sharp 1,024-by-768 native resolution. There are more connection choices here than on most small projectors, including inputs for two computers (which double for component video) and a pass-through monitor connector. There are
S-Video and composite video connectors as well as mini-plug and RCA plug connections for audio-in and audio-out. You'll have to buy extra cables to use most of the ports, though, because the projector comes only with one VGA cable.

Setting up the T95U is easy. Plug in the power cord and supplied VGA cable, turn everything on, adjust the manual zoom and focus, and you're ready to go. If you need to tweak things further, a button for automatic keystone adjustment sits on the remote; it worked as promised during my tests. You can gain an even greater degree of control by plugging a separate infrared unit into a USB port on your computer. This lets you control the mouse from the T95U's remote. One minor annoyance is that the remote has its own on/off switch, which is easy to miss the first time you use it.

The T95U's brightness came out to 1,614 lumens in my tests, making it the brightest projector I've seen for the price. It's certainly bright enough to project a good-sized image in typical ambient lighting. Its 339:1 contrast ratio is also excellent and creates colors that pop. The projector's image quality was very good, and the T95U performed well on most of my DisplayMate tests.

I saw some mild to moderate pixel jitter in images designed to bring out weakness. I also noticed the rainbow effect typical of DLP projectors, where areas of images break up into colors of red, green, and blue. Yet the effect was less obvious than on other projectors I've tested. Yellow, which tends to look mustard-brown on DLP projectors, looked surprisingly vibrant.

The T95U did reasonably well on video tests. Moving images were a touch darker than they should be, but skin tones looked accurate, and I again saw less of a rainbow effect than I have with many other DLP projectors. Audio quality was also good, but the volume was far too faint to fill even a small room. If you need to include sound in your presentations, plan to use an external audio system.

One noteworthy feature is the Instant Shut Down function. When you turn off the projector, the fan will keep going for about two minutes if left alone. According to Toshiba, however, the projector doesn't need that much time to cool down. The company claims that you can simply turn the machine off, pull the plug, pack up everything up, and be on your way with no harm donea neat trick that adds to the T95U's portability. With most projectors, pulling the plug before the fan stops will shorten the lamp's life.

Toshiba's TDP-T95U projector serves up excellent image quality and vivid color for a DLP machine, and it has the highest brightness I have measured within its price range. It's also easy to carry, so it's an excellent machine for big-room presentations in the office and on the road.

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M. David Stone is an award-winning freelance writer and computer industry consultant. Although a confirmed generalist, with writing credits on subjects as varied as ape language experiments, politics, quantum physics, and an overview of a top company in the gaming industry. David is also an expert in imaging technologies (including printers, monitors, large-screen displays, projectors, scanners, and digital cameras), storage (both magnetic and optical), and word processing. He is a recognized expert on printers, well known within the industry, and has been a judge for...
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